On 20 February 2013, the European Commission adopted its “Social Investment Package” (SIP). The SIP sets out a strong case for the contribution that well-designed social policies can make to economic growth as well as to protecting people from poverty and acting as economic stabilisers. But the package is still in its initial phases. Can a more comprehensive package at the EU level strengthen the capacities of welfare states to adapt to the economic and social pressures of integration, globalisation, and demographic and technical change? How should such a package look? What dangers lurk?

Conversations for the Future of Europe | January – June 2019

Objective: To guide the steps of the European Union and to mobilise its citizens so as to make policy change possible, it is not sufficient to analyse the past and criticise the present. It is necessary to develop concrete proposals for a better future and to subject them to critical multidisciplinary discussion. The Conversations for the Future of Europe aim to contribute to such discussion.
The focus of our Conversations will be to consider concrete and politically feasible projects which may guide the future development of the Union. A concern for political applicability, however, is compatible with creativity and boldness. Indeed, it may require it.

Format: Each Conversation will focus on one issue manifesting as a major challenge to the EU. The issue will be briefly introduced by two presenters, each presenting a brief proposal for how to address this challenge. Presentations will be followed by comments from one or two discussants after which, there will be a general discussion.

Output: The aim of the Conversations is to facilitate debate and inspire far-sighted, creative ideas for how to address current policy problems. However, we wish to share those ideas with a wider community. We will therefore invite all presenters to publish their contributions on our online blog. It is also our intention that some Conversations will be developed into more substantive pieces and published as debate sections in academic journals such as the Journal of European Public Policy (with whom we are in contact).

Upcoming Events

Integrating Diversity in the European Union (InDivEU) is a Horizon 2020 funded research project aimed at contributing concretely to the current debate on the ‘Future of Europe’ by assessing, developing and testing a range of models and scenarios for different levels of integration Read More ...